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LEO GARCIA -- VICTIM OF THE DRUG WAR
MUSEUM COMMENTARY:
If anyone doubts that the anti-Medical Cannabis laws were born in evil, let them just look into the details of the Leo Garcia case. For if ever there was a great injustice caused by the Drug War, this is it.
Here we have a case of a man (Leo Garcia) who was brutally kidnapped by three hooligans, robbed and held for extortion. Yet upon his release, as well as the capture of his three tormentors; What happens? One would think that a little sympathy would be in order. BUT NO, instead what do the narc’s do, in their own words:
In April, 1939, the Division of Narcotic Enforcement was asked to investigate a situation at Woodland, California. Three young men had been arrested for extortion, grand theft and robbery. One of the defendants in the case informed us that they had conspired to high-jack a cache of Marihuana on a certain ranch located in Yolo county. Inspectors of the Division visited this ranch, early in the morning, and there arrested two Mexicans (Lee Garcia and Jose Guiterez), who had marihuana cigarettes in their possession. --- MARIHUANA - State of Calif. Dept. of Penology, Narcotic Enforcement (excerpt from report for the year 1939In other words they took the word of the kidnappers, (Mr. Garcia very tormentors), that he was a big time drug lord, etc. . . And based solely upon their testimony, the narc’s conducted a raid on Mr. Garcias ranch. And (miracles to miracles), upon close inspection they actually did find a (what they termed) a “CACHE” of Marihuana there. Thus Mr. Garcia (the big time drug lord as well as a Mexican) was arrested and thus put out of circulation. Or at least so the Narc’s would have you believe.
Okay, now here’s what really happened. The “CACHE OF MARIHUANA”, described by the Narc’s (according to local newspaper articles) turned out to be less than a tablespoon. Boy, big cache. And isn’t it funny who the Narc’s were able to find the “Big Cache” so easily ; almost as if someone had planted it there and later on told them exactly where to look, etc.
So what next? Logic and reason would dictate that the so-call “CACHE” of Marihuana was obviously planted, but then again Mr. Garcia was a Mexican after all, so what the heck, they arrested him.
Now, at least this one incident has a somewhat happy ending. After spending (probably tens of thousands of dollars in today’s money) in legal expenses (not to mention the loss of his job), Mr. Garcia was exonerated when a jury ruled (Jan 1040) that he was innocent.
NEWSPAPER ACCOUNTS:
SACRAMENTO BEE
[S]- Jan 5, 1940 p5 “Garcia Is Freed By Yolo Jurors”
[Key-finder - Case#CA32]
THE SACRAMENTO BEE – Jan 4, 1940 p5
“Garcia is Feed by Yolo Jurors ”
Woodland (Yolo Ca.), Jan. 5—A Yolo County Superior Court jury of six men and six women late yesterday returned a not guilty verdict in the case of Leo Garcia former Yolo labor camp operator, charged with the possession of marijuana.
Garcia was arrested last April by state narcotic agents after he had caused the arrest of four Sacramento men, who he charged with kidnaping (sic), robbery and attempted extortion. The men, Gerald Dieffenbacker, Ted Albridht, John Rodriquez and Richard Garcia, are in prison.
The state agents found a tablespoon of marijuana in two containers on the premises operated by Garcia.
The defendant took the stand at the one day trial yesterday and said he knew nothing of the presence of the narcotic.
He had been at Liberty under $450 bail.
The jury, whose foreman was David Long of Zamora, deliberated one hour and a half.
Our Thanks to the Sacramento City Public Library for their help in locating the shown article.
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